Thirteen Years Of His Lies

cked ninety-nine times by his family's board, or so he told me. Each time

approved our marriage every single time. He was the one sabotaging it

hadn't shown me in years. When I later confronted him about her lie

he didn't help me. He stood over

e to Kend

ped the blood from my face, walked out of the life we built

pte

iskey he favored, a familiar comfort. My fingers traced the scar above his hipbone, a souvenir from a childhood dare. Thirteen years

my neck, his breath warm. "It' s goi

ked through me. It wasn't the usual pre-vote jitters. Something felt off. His touc

s eyes searching m

.. tired. It' s been a lo

was the epitome of a Scott, handsome and commanding, a natural-born C

exhaustion that seemed to pierce through his polishe

me, Averi, that you' ve had to go through this. All those

nute complication," had resulted in Brandon having to publicly accept a corporate penalty. A show of comm

hough it wasn't. It never had been.

. A shadow, perhaps. Or a secret. He held me tighter then, almost crushing me, as if trying to m

Brandon, the powerful, charismatic CEO, was a different man in the boardroom. Ruthless, decisive, sharp. But when it came to our marriage, to these endless board votes, he was...

dread settled over me. It was like watching a play, a performance I had seen ninety-nine times before, and

ot because we would finally win, but because something would irrevocably break. Our story, the one I ha

ultimate power over any marriage involving a direct heir, especially the CEO. Unanimous approval was requi

ation" had arisen. Ninety-nine times, Brandon had accepted his public corporate penalty with that same weary, regretful sigh.

had begun to grate. It was a pattern, too perfect to be accide

just wait. I would act. I would

e, not to plead, but to simply... observe. To finally understand what mystical force kept derailing our future. I quickly dressed in a sleek,

heels clicked against the marble floors as I made my way to the executive boardroom on the top floor. The air grew heavy with anticipation, or perhaps, with my own

of power. I strained my ears, my heart hammering. Then, a vo

e surprisingly firm, almost relieved. "It se

ue? My blood r

n a chorus of murmurs

arrison, the family patriarch. "One hundred votes, and still no

t. And it had failed again. My mind reeled. This was it. The break

ng that made the wor

void of any pretense of resignation, almost cheerful, "th

had just said there was an "unforeseen issue." What was happening? My mind struggled to process this sudden, viol

, sharp with suspicion. "Passed? Then what is this 'unfo

hat felt like a slap across my face. "Wel

d it? He fabricated it? The words echoed in my head, a cruel,

ou lost your mind? Why in God' s name would you do such a thi

o give out. My world, the one built on thirteen years of s

"She... she found out the vote was about to pass. She had another on

tions" weren't random acts of fate. They were Kendal' s emotional outburs

s as your executive assistant? You mean to tell me you' ve sabotage

hrough a lot. And she depends on me. She relies on me, emotionally. She

ears?" Harrison pressed, his voice laced with disgust. "What abou

d over his face, that familiar gesture of exasperation. "Averi...

balled into fists, my nails digging into

you?" Harrison' s voice was cold. "Yo

andon admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "Sh

ruel, archaic traditionalists than face

She truly believes she' ll be alone. And after what she' s been t

urface was an intense, almost obsessive possessiveness towards Brandon. I had seen it, dismissed it as a si

penalty, I presume?" Harrison asked, hi

oice firm again. "I will. It' s a s

ire relationship, reduced to keeping

immense, too suffocating to contain. It was a physical ache, deep in my chest, tearing through my very soul. My knees finally buckled, and I slid dow

was a call from my aunt, a distant relative but the closest thing I had to family since

e bright and hopeful. "Did the Scotts finally see

vote, only to fabricate a problem because his adopted sister threw a tantrum. He' s been doing it for five

Are you

nt... I..." I couldn' t form the words.

ed with a familiar disappointment. "That family... they' ll never truly acce

n she knew, yet so far from the

about you. He' s always admired your work, your spirit. He actually proposed to me, for you, a while back. I told him you were engaged, but... well, he' s a persiste

iration, never the veiled pity or patronizing understanding I often saw in others' eyes when Brandon' s family was mentioned. He was stab

rve a man who puts you first, unequivocally. A man who isn' t afraid to fight for yo

ndscape of my shattered engagement. A real life. With a real partner. My mi

oarse but firm, "Tell Mr. R